Fractured
by Cella N
Summary: The road to redemption is long and tedious. In company or alone, it seemed he was forced to take it. SAKURA. SASUKE. Or how to make a jerk feel again.
1. Endings

**Spoilers:** _Everything_ in the manga.  
**A/N:** Dedicated to Phase-chan, the first person in this world capable of making me love SasuSaku. This will never be as good as our rps, honey, but I'll sure as hell try. -x- Inspired by Livejournal community **"30 breathtakes"**. -x- Additional comments: if you're looking for love in the first chapters, look somewhere else. If you're looking for a Sakura that will whimper and promise to never ever leave his side, look somewhere else. If you're looking for angst, drama and the slow process of two people realising things about each other, and the other, this is where to look.  
**Theme used:** 1. wind in your hair;

* * *

**Fractured**  
_part one. Endings_

* * *

She was the first person he saw after Itachi's last breath escaped his body.

Funny, Sasuke had though, he'd imagined Naruto would be the first to come to him, shout at him and beg him to return. So he told her exactly that.

"Naruto's injured back at base-camp. I'm here to take you back," she answered, pulling the glove on her right hand tighter around it.

Sasuke was unfazed. "Sakura. I've just killed my brother. What makes you think _you_ can defeat me?" Arrogance leaked into his tone, yes, because he had the _right_ to be arrogant. He'd avenged his family. He'd became more powerful than Itachi, he'd _killed his mother's murderer_, he'd achieved all he'd been aiming for in life. And strangely enough, he felt empty. More empty than before, because before, he'd had a _purpose_, some reason, tangible and solid, to hold onto and guide himself by. Of course, there was the matter of his clan being rebuilt. But where would he rebuild a clan if no village nor country wanted him? He was alone now. The lone avenger. Himself, as usual. Unusual, though, was the fact that he didn't care. Apathy had become so much a part of him that even loneliness of the worst kind didn't suppose a threat anymore.

Lost in his thoughts, though, he failed to see Sakura moving until it was too late. Because, after all, what _could_ Sakura do to him? She was weak, a nuisance, a damsel always needing rescuing. She probably could not hurt a fly. And she was a _medic-nin_, he'd heard. Even more useless. The blood on her clothes, he reasoned, was probably blood from healing everyone, not fighting. Standing in the sidelines until everyone else died. So when Sakura disappeared with a flash of pink hair, fluttering in the wind, and reappeared in front of him, he only had time to narrow his eyes slightly, before her fist collided with his nose.

In retrospect, the _crack!_ that sounded? Probably wasn't only the tree Sasuke was thrown into with the strength of the punch, but also his nose.

It was highly unpleasing, he reasoned. Getting injured was one thing, but being punched by the girl that was supposedly madly in love with him? And what had happened to _Sakura_, anyway? Where was the small, meek, obsessively annoying Sakura he knew? So three-four years of absence were many, but he'd hardly expected her to grow stronger than…well, he had hardly expected her to change in any way, proven mostly by his complete ignoring of her. More importantly, though, his nose hurt like hell. She'd probably broken it in three different places, and the pain was so sharp—topped with the one of being slammed against a _tree_--that he concentrated only on that.

Sakura was in front of him, muttering things like: "Spoiled, annoying brat, doesn't think I'm strong enough. Didn't come all the way here and killed two, _two!_ Akatsuki members, just to hear him say that I'm too weak to be compared with him—HAH! I tell you, HAH! Well look who's weak now, mister Uchiha survivor." When her angry rant was over, and Sasuke's head cleared a bit, he realised another thing.

During her rant, and his pain, Sakura had wrapped three thick ropes tightly around his body, pining his hands against his sides. In that moment, his eyes narrowed, snapping into Sharingan, and tried to catch her gaze. She wasn't relenting, though, tying the knots, and grabbing his sword from his side, strapping that to her back. Fine, so she wouldn't look at him. He'd break the ropes with lightning technique, no proble—only there _was_ a problem, really. Because Sakura had always been smart, and her ropes were chakra laden.

"If you even try to escape, I'll break your jaw, leave you unconscious and _drag_ you all the way to base camp, so help me God," she growled, wrapping her hands around the end of the ropes around him. "Stand up, and let's go."

So. Was _this_ what he'd fought for all his life? Was this what he'd trained and killed Itachi for? To be dragged back home, tied up, practically _on a leash_ by a girl that held half--_half!_--his power? Preposterous. Unthinkable. Shameful.

And yet, what other choice he had aside from going with her? Being alone forever and trying to find his place in the world? The only, _only_ reason he allowed Sakura to drag his tied self to camp was that there, at least, he'd have _some_ sort of _place_ where to…belong. Or not feel aimless. Right. It was exactly that, and nothing more.

Naruto would never let him live this down.


	2. Trials

**Spoilers:** _Everything_ in the manga.  
**A/N:** Dedicated to Phase-chan, the first person in this world capable of making me love SasuSaku. This will never be as good as our rps, honey, but I'll sure as hell try. -x- Inspired by Livejournal community **"30 breathtakes"**. -x- Additional comments: the most un-dramatic, un-angsty, un-depressing Sasuke trial ever written, I think. I swear I laughed myself silly writing it. I still hope it retains a bit of seriousness, though. Explanations on Sakura's harsh attitude will arrive soon, don't worry!  
**Theme used:** 2. sun on your face

* * *

**Fractured**  
_part two. Trials_

* * *

So this, Sasuke reckoned, was what judgement day must've felt like for all the weak morons he'd killed (his brother not included, as his brother was a weak _bastard_, and nothing of a moron at all). Huh. Being tied to a chair by ropes and placed in the middle of the fighting arena of Konoha? Being stared at by all the village's population, by all the people he had betrayed—though in retrospect, what harm had he done, really, to the baker of the village? He hadn't killed his family, or left him asleep on a bench, so what was with all the fucking death glares he was getting? The civilians were here out of pure morbidity, and the shinobi were hear because the Ninja Code declared that 'all-must-hate-upon-traitors'. Being shouted at, scorned, and really all that was missing here would be tomatoes thrown around—though that particular thought spurned his hunger rather than his displeasure—the arena. All those factors were absolutely _nothing_ compared to the feeling of Sakura's hand gripping his shoulder from her seat behind him, and Naruto's shit-eating grin practically in his face.

"You'll get absolved, ya'll see. I put in a good word with Tsunade-baa—"

"Naruto," Sakura calmly interrupted.

"—and she can't deny me anything, because I'm her favourite, ya know? That'll save your scrawny, skinny, ugly ass, teme, so you better start with the sucking-up as of now—"

"_Naruto_," Sakura patiently growled—and her fingers dug deeper into Sasuke's shoulder. ('Ow,' he vaguely recalled thinking.)

"—bet you never thought _my charm_'d be the thing saving you from death, did you, teme? Fuckin' moron running out on us like that, lucky we even came after you—"

"I never asked that you do so," Sasuke calmly supplied, but Naruto didn't hear. Sakura did, and her grip tightened again. (_'What is she, my guardian or the hired torture expert?'_ he thought.)

"—all that time, all that running, well it better be worth it, bastard, 'cause we sure as fuck went through hell for you, and if you don't do the best possible and redeem yourself and what other shit—"

"Naruto," Sakura sighed.

"—I'll personally hang you upside-down from the Third's nose for _two weeks_, with _no food_, and if the crows come to pick at your heart, all the better, since you broke poor Sakura-chan's hea—"

"NARUTO!" Sakura barked, topped with a punch to the blond's head.

"—ow ow ow! What, _what_, Sakura-chan?!" the other man sputtered, hanging onto his head comically.

"The Council is ready," Sakura informed him, pointing towards where Tsunade, flanked by a dozen of old people with not enough hobbies, was standing, looking at them amusedly. (Just Tsunade, not the old people. Those, Sasuke reasoned, looked all too aghast at the Uchiha's forced return.) "Moron," Sakura added in a muttered side-thought.

"S-sorry, Tsunade-b--_Hogake_-san!" Naruto loudly proclaimed, and then retreated behind Sasuke's chair, at Sakura's side.

"Well," Tsunade started, drawing her eyes to stare sharply at the last Uchiha. "I don't think there's anything else needed to be said that Naruto hasn't so _eloquently_ put in words just now. So, let's begin, shall we?"

The next half an hour was confuse and boring. It basically consisted of a list of all of Sasuke's crimes, from childhood up till now—really, that in sixteen years of living he could've done that many bad things to Konoha was surprising, and they hadn't even started with the crimes post his leave. During all this time Sasuke tried hard not to sigh at every one of the crimes listed—they were all petty. Who the hell remembered that cat whose tail he'd wrangled before returning it to her owner, anyway? Were people honestly _that_ bored? He'd been _fuckin' five_, for hell's sake!

During this process, the Council members wrinkled their old little noses at him, and pursed their old mouths at him, and Sasuke wished his sword wasn't placed on Sakura's back, or he'd have—or better not, because then, there'd go his salvation and all. He was beginning to question why the hell he'd wanted it, now. Aside from being forcefully dragged 'back home', on a leash, having his pride shattered by a _girl_, and having Naruto laugh about it _in his face_, there had been nothing calling him back to Konoha. So he took the trial with a sour face and an even sourer disposition, not even acknowledging the fact that the verdict was being passed until Sakura's fingers almost broke his shoulder.

"Will you stop that?" he muttered angrily.

"Shut up and pay attention," she muttered back.

"Therefore, upon further deliberation, I've decided," the Hokage emphasized the 'I' here, giving Sasuke a look that clearly said 'Council-not-with-me-here-you-better-beh

ave-or-death', "that Uchiha Sasuke be put on a trial period of one year, in order to asses his loyalty to Konoha, and his right to be re-accepted into the Fire country as a shinobi. During this year, he will be restricted to Konoha's perimeter, and will not be given missions higher than a D-rank. He shall have ANBU squad members flanking his sides, if the situation requires it, and during all times shall one of his former teammates be at his side, in case he feels the need to escape again. Once this year terminates, his situation shall be re-evaluated. If his behaviour has been nothing but spectacular, he'll be allowed to take the corresponding Chuunin and Jounin exams, and be re-integrated into the shinobi society."

A few mutters of disagreement dared to be heard in the crowd, Sakura's grip on his shoulder was tighter if possible, and Sasuke's stomach dropped to his feet—a whole year on D-rank missions? Oh, please, even Orochimaru was more benevole—okay, no he wasn't.

"Thus, until then, Uchiha Sasuke remains relieved of his status as missing-nin, and his S-class criminal rank is dissolved. His status as Konoha's traitor is temporarily suspended. That is all," Tsunade finished, and then the crowd was still, she waved them off. "Well, come on you lot, get back to your houses already, show's over."

Loyal and obedient, the village's inhabitants slowly seeped out from the arena. Meanwhile, Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto remained still. Sasuke more out of force than anything. Distantly, he could devise that weird-ass Sai, Kakashi, and the Yamato guy, waiting in the sidelines. Apparently, this was going to be some sort of Team 7 moment. Well, Sasuke decided with a soft sigh, here come the tears.

"HELL YEAH! TOLD YOU SO, TEME!" Naruto shouted, jumping up in the air, hitting Sasuke's shoulder in a friendly pat, _and_ starting to untie his ropes all at the same time, almost.

Sakura, meanwhile, had let go of his shoulder, and planted herself in front of his chair. He looked up, and in a distant corner of his mind, he reflected, the sunlight stroke her face rather oddly. It made her look almost…pretty. Which was impossible, as Sakura was just annoying, not _pretty_. She was also glaring down at him. Which made him frown, because he'd expected tears, a smile, and a hug. At the very least.

"Welcome back," she said, smiling sweetly. Ah, there it was. (Across the arena, Sai shivered and muttered "That's not good" to Yamato.) Her smile. Now the hug and the tears. Only there were no such things, instead, another punch, this time to his jaw. "Asshole," Sakura lovingly snapped, before turning around and stomping out of there.

"That went well, all things considered," Naruto said, grinning at Sasuke. "Don't you think?"

What Sasuke thought, as a matter of fact, was that Naruto obviously need a new brain. But that was nothing new.


	3. New World Order

**A/N:** Dedicated to **its game time**, the first person in this world capable of making me love SasuSaku. This will never be as good as our rps, honey, but I'll sure as hell try.-x- Inspired by **30 breathtakes**. -x- Additional comments: Sasuke's blooming denial is the funniest thing to write. Hands down.  
**Theme used:** 3. the look in your eyes

* * *

**Fractured**  
_part three. New World Order_

* * *

The first week wasn't as bad as he'd expected. Home-arrest wasn't that evil. Nothing was evil compared to the compound in Sound. At least in Konoha they weren't making him dispose of an army of people in ten minutes or no breakfast, nor were they making him do labour work to help him grow character. Mostly, in Konoha they just left him alone. 

Except for Naruto. But that idiot couldn't leave the Devil himself alone, even if he was begged to do it. (Actually, Naruto would probably try to convince the Devil to be a better person through a fight, a long overly-repeated speech about friendship, and much obnoxiousness.) No, Sasuke hadn't missed that at all. Ever.

Which was exactly why it only took two weeks for the two of them to drop back into the old routine. That's to say: Naruto being an idiot, and Sasuke trying not to kill him daily. There was no reason to kill him anymore, no whim to which to attain himself to, no purpose to seclude himself. (Not that Naruto would let him.) And if he were honest to himself, maybe he enjoyed rolling his eyes at Naruto's antics way too much. But then again, he very rarely was honest to himself.

The routine had been fairly easy to slip back into. It was as if he'd never left Leaf. Except he had been gone for almost four years, many things had changed, everyone hated or disliked him, and the girl that had been in love with him once now punched him every time she saw him.

Sakura was a different issue altogether. Treason and forgiveness and missions in life had nothing to do with it. Whenever she saw him, she was calm and collected—nothing like the blubbering young girl he used to know—for some minutes, then a vein would start to twitch around her eye, and she usually ended up punching him. Or something like that. Naruto had complained once that she was abusing Sasuke too much, and after that she'd started to abuse the trees. Of course then Tsunade called Sasuke to her office and told him to settle things back together with her student before she deforested the whole village.

It wasn't like he didn't _try_. Okay, he really didn't try, actually. She was just…ten times more interesting this way. In a strange "what the fuck is wrong with you" way, that made his insides stir with excitement whenever that vein started to twitch. She was definitely not the girl he used to know. She'd changed. A lot. And that was an understatement. It was as if this new temper of hers, directed at him, made her strangely…appealing. _Not_ that he'd noticed or anything. It wasn't as if she occupied his thoughts about half the time. He had more important things to do with his time.

Like fighting Naruto. Just because he was under house-arrest didn't mean he could slack. In fact, Kakashi had explicitly told him that now that he'd returned there were many things to catch up with. And besides, Naruto and him needed to become Chuunin already. And there was another thing that irritated him. Sakura was Chuunin already. _Sakura_. Weak little—okay, maybe she wasn't weak anymore, but _who went and changed the rules of the universe_? Sakura wasn't supposed to be Chuunin already!

She also wasn't supposed to be training a few feet away from them, fighting Sai—the irritating little bastard. Sasuke and Naruto had reached that part of their spar where they were dead tired, slumped against a tree and looking at their surroundings—while trying to still be cool and look like each had won the fight, even though it had been a draw. This gave Sasuke the perfect opportunity to observe, out of pure curiosity, the way Sakura fought. He hadn't had much of a chance to see it, as she'd just broken his nose and dragged him back home in chains—and _anyone_ could've done that if they caught him by surprise. Okay, maybe not anyone. Sasuke was still a very skilled ninja. He'd just been beaten by a supposedly weak girl.

"Oh God, Sai must've said something about her face," Naruto muttered beside him, and they both watched how Sakura punched straight through three ink clones before her fist made contact with Sai's face and embedded him in the ground, a few feet away.

"Does she always train like this?" Sasuke asked, frowning slightly. That was destructive. She'd end up deforesting the village for sure.

"Nah, just since she's started to pair with Sai at training. Kakashi-sensei says they fight like we did," Naruto answers, grinning at him with amusement. "He also says there's not as much sexual tension as the one we had, though."

"…_what_?" Has the moron gone completely ballistic? What did he meant about sexual tension. They'd never had such a thing! They were _boys_. Sasuke didn't have time for sexual tension with anyone, anyway.

"You know, sexual tension. Like when—"

"I know what it _is_, dead last," he growled slightly. "Just. Shut up before I punch you." Hanging around Naruto would kill him slowly, headache by headache.

"I don't think Kakashi-sensei's right, though. Man, you should've seen her fighting that Akatsuki freak with the mask. Broke his mask and made him so angry. Sakura-chan's way of fighting is so hot."

Well, yes…it was. Wait. "What Akatsuki freak?"

"That…Tobi guy. Well, actually I think he was saying something about 'Uchiha Madara can't die' before we killed him."

"…you killed Uchiha Madara?" _There was no justice in the world anymore!_ It should've been him. He should've killed the bastard.

"Pshyeah. Took eight of us, to be honest. In the end five almost died, but Sakura-chan healed us all, and still had strength to go looking for you. She'd said something about being too close to let you go this time, and the next thing we knew, she was dragging you back with a rope. Oh man, no wonder Tsunade-baa-chan's making her take the Jounin exam this year."

"…the Jounin exam." Well. That settled. There really _was_ no justice in the world. Or if there was, it was definitely all against Sasuke. Because why the hell would Sakura reach Jounin-level before him if the world weren't against him?

"Duh, teme. Why d'you think she trains with Sai so often? Yamato-taichou said Sai needed to get integrated in our huge-ass team now, and Sakura's some sort of teacher to him. I think she's trying to teach him emotions, but that's just an excuse for them to be at each other's neck daily. There's a bet around town about who'll end up hospitalized first."

Huh. So Sakura and Sai were…_huh_. He didn't care, anyway. Sakura was free to do whatever she wanted with her life. He just thought that she could've picked someone nicer than that other moron. Or stayed single. She could do that. In-team relationships ruined the dynamic of the team, and--_What the hell am I _thinking_ about?_ Right. Sakura could do whatever she pleased. He didn't care.

"So anyway, Kakashi-sensei said that since we were training together, Sakura and Sai could form the other pair, and they've been—"

"Yes, Naruto. I get it. Sexual tension and fighting. Whatever," he replied, trying his damn best to act like he didn't care. Because he didn't.

He had new things he needed to digest. Like Sakura's Chuunin rank, her way of fighting—though he had a feeling he'd seen just a small part of it—, her training to be Jounin, and the way that she huffed angrily at Sai's smiling face. Had he really been gone that long? When had she changed this much?

_Whatever._ "Come on. Let's fight," he said to Naruto, and stood up. He could deal with this. He'd dealt with a load of things before, so Sakura's sudden power boost was going to be _easy_ to deal with. Given enough time.


End file.
